Final decision on my Cushion 1Ct diamond, which do you prefer

[oberlin]

Hi evryone,

I'd first like to thank you guys for making this community exist. I spent so many nights reading your different posts, reading your agreements and disagreements, opinions, and learning, learning, learning some more about this magic WORLD of gemstones and specially Diamonds! The quest for an engagement ring became a real fascination to me, a lot because everyone shares is passion here!

I'm finally going for a 1 Ct Cushion, G-H, VS2-VS1, very good cut/symetrie/polish, fluorescence or not I don't care, ratio under 1.05. My budget cannot go over 4000 USD.

First about choosing a cushion: one question I could not find the answer: since I believe the surface area of the stone is importante, do a cushion 1Ct have more "visibility" than a round? In other word: what would be the size of a round brilliant to equal a 1 Ct cushion? 0,9? Diameter of a 0,8 Ct brilliant is about the same as a 1Ct cushion, but a 1 Ct cushion as a longer diagonal... Of course, there are the corner of the stone that make more surface.. Hope you understand my question....
In other word: is buying a cushion a good deal in terme of price/carat, or the gain of carat "disappears" in a taller stone?

Since I live In Paris, France I can only buy through Blue Nile (without ASET then, a shame after all I red about it here...), since all other website can ship to France but I'll have to pay a 20% VAT receiving the stone.

I made myself a selection of cushion with the Xfactor rather than crushed Ice, and I would really appreciate if some of the experts around here give me advices about them:

https://www.bluenile.com/fr/en/diamond-details/LD09268180

https://www.bluenile.com/fr/en/diamond-details/LD09268180

https://www.bluenile.com/fr/en/diamond-details/LD08820954

https://www.bluenile.com/fr/en/diamond-details/LD09412005.

My preference would go for the cheaper that has quiet an inclusion in the middle but I like the stone.

Thank you again for bringing me in the world of stones and for your opinions to come!

 

[Matthews1127]

Your dimensions will vary from the "average" Cushion cut diamond.
You can use this chart to compare sizes of your Cushion selections with the "average" 1ct round cut diamond for an idea of spread & finger coverage. Fancy Cuts can sometimes have more weight at the bottom of the stone than across the top, depending on how they are cut. Rectangular Cushions will have more length, but may lose size across the width. Either way, you should see a nice spread; but you must understand that you're comparing apples to oranges.

I do hope this info is helpful:
https://www.diamdb.com/compare/1ct-cushion-vs-1ct-round/

 

[Matthews1127]

I* have issues with noticeable inclusions. I did a search, using your specs (dropping to I color for lowest color grade), and increasing your clarity grade, and found these:

https://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD08989082

https://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD09197715

https://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD09488544

https://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD09488463

https://www.bluenile.com/build-your-own-ring/diamond-details/LD08911556

I think you will find that I steered away from "crushed Ice", and tried to find more elongated shapes.

What do you think of them?

 

[oberlin]

Thank you very much @Matthews1127! The diamdb is exactly what I was looking after! I like your saying about orange and Apple! It's true that i seem to be one of the few wondering about the "face up" or finger coverage more than for the cut itself! I Like that you understood my "finger covering" point of view. With this I realize that the face up / finger covering of a 1ct cushion is about the same as a 0.82 brilliant, and so is the price. So I'll stick to my cushion!
Any opinion on the stones I selected?

 

[Matthews1127]

Thank you very much @Matthews1127! The diamdb is exactly what I was looking after! I like your saying about orange and Apple! It's true that i seem to be one of the few wondering about the "face up" or finger coverage more than for the cut itself! I Like that you understood my "finger covering" point of view. With this I realize that the face up / finger covering of a 1ct cushion is about the same as a 0.82 brilliant, and so is the price. So I'll stick to my cushion!
Any opinion on the stones I selected?

Happy to help!
I like your selections, minus the inclusions against & under the table, which is why I searched for options closest to what you posted, with higher clarity grade for comparison. Do you like any of them?

 

[Matthews1127]

1.05ct (#1), and 1.03ct (#5) of my list above, are my personal favorites of the ones I posted for you...
I like all of them, but those two stand out above the rest, to ME.

 

[rockysalamander]

Cushions carry more weight in the belly than a well-cut round. So, for an equal weight, a round will face up larger. So, I showed a few rounds that cost the same and are the same size, but they end up being less weight. But, if you hold weight constant, a round will be larger. In general, ovals face-up larger for their weight than either rounds or cushions. For example, this round (which I'm not recommending due to the bowtie if 0.90 carats, but 7.55 x 5.56 mm...so much larger; https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD09406425. This one is every larger at 7.99 x 5.82, https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD09197013). So, it depends on your priority...this cut pattern (cushion) or large face-up size? There are rare ovals that are more cushiony and we can look for those (example, https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/oval-cut/1.20-carat-h-color-si2-clarity-sku-3415792).

Of @Matthews1127 . I'm personally not a fan of #2 or #4 compared to the others (too disorganized, faces up too small).

#1 - 1.03 H VVS2 6.11 x 5.76 mm, Pattern stronger than #5, but not as much contrast as #3. "Additional clouds" on GIA cert need to be examined by gemologist for impact on brightness and light return. LD08989082

#3 - 1.01 H VVS2 5.80x5.79 mm, I like the strong contrast and lack of any evidence of crushed ice. My personal fav. even though its is smallest, LD09488544**

#5 - 1.05 I VS1 6.22 x 5.55 mm, stronger pattern than #3, but I think this may have leakage.
When viewed straight on, the table is greyer than I'd like. LD08911556. What do you think @Matthews1127 ?

For reference, here are a few rounds in your range. Rounds will tend to weigh less but face-up larger than a cushion.

R#1 - .91 F SI1 - 6.23 mm - https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08664324 {need to have it examined as there is no clarity plot under 1 carat}

R#2 - 0.91 I VS2 - 6.17 mm - https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-details/LD08664324 {need to have it examined for impact from clouds}

 

[oberlin]

Sorry i did not see your proposales:
After thinking a lot about it, and seeing a few stones, my wife to be Would rather have 1-2 Colors Down and more inclusions. Reason of my choice for a G-VS.
Looking at your propositions:
- LD08989082: the ratio is Much over 1.05 and i'm looking for a squarich. I notice that the stone seem to have less contrast than the ones i Picked (i mean less black facets Senn from above). But i'm not sure of that, little is my knowledge! So it's more of a question to you.
- LD09197715 same thing about the contrast.... an other way of saying it is that the X factor is not intense. (The followings look Much better to me, but on picture!! About in real??)
- LD09488544: looks VERY Nice, just about 10% above my budget! But other than that very very pretty!
- LD09488463 and last one: exactly the same! Perfect but $$$....

So i Would be interested in your analysis about that "contrast"
Of the X-factor.

Thanks again

 

[rockysalamander]

I'm confused on your budget. None of the cushions posted were over $4k usd. Is there a currency conversion we missed? Does the $4k include a setting and, if so, what kind of setting?

 

[oberlin]

Thank you very Much for your clear and long answers!!! I need to think more about it now!!!

Indeed BN is converting the €=us$!!! So my budget was 3600€, wich should be about 4000USD.
I changed the country and realize that the stones are 15%cheaper in the US! Argh.... need to go there with cash....
the french VAT is 20%, i guess it's less in the US! So BN applies the change +20% VAT....
One more thing I learn on PS!

 

[oberlin]

For your proposal @rockysalamander
R#1 0.9 (LD08664324); i really wish to have the 360 view on it....
R#2 0.9 F VS1 (LD08664324)
The fluorescence seems high, worries about the cloud Like you, and quiet en inclusion just in the middle of the table. For the rest could be Nice to me.

Altought, As being worried about the light return, after reading your opinion, i feel very sensitive to "face up", and may have change my mind for a brilliant.... I'll open a new thread about it!

One last question about my first thaught of cushion:
What about this one: https://www.bluenile.com/fr/en/diamond-details/LD09412005
Il like the look of it, the single isolated inclusion... i'm really fan of it, and the price is good: why not buying it?
Thanks again for your opinion and hope to have it on the new thread I open because of you and Matthews1127!